Humboldt supervisors move ahead on DD 125

September 5, 2013

DAKOTA CITY - The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors moved ahead in the establishment of new Drainage District No. 125 Wednesday.

The board had continued the hearing on the preliminary engineer's report from last week to give landowners a chance to file a petition for a new engineer report on the district.

However, no petition has been filed.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has approved up to 75 percent cost share in establishing the new district, which would close 12 agricultural drainage wells.

"Those funds are set aside for this project," said Rick Hopper of Jacobson-Westergard & Associates, Estherville.

Hopper estimated the project would cost slightly more than $2 million and the grant would be slightly more than $1.5 million, leaving landowners in the proposed district to come up with about $590,000.

"Contractors are hungry. We have people asking if this project is going to go forward. We don't know," Hopper said.

The board set an Oct. 14 informal hearing and an Oct. 28 formal hearing on the project. If landowners want to remonstrate to stop the project, they have until Oct. 28, Hopper said.

"I encourage people not to be afraid to talk to us ahead of the 14th if there is something in particular," Hopper said.

In other business, Hopper addressed some concerns expressed last week about work done in DD 2 southeast of Gilmore City.

Hopper said tiles were properly used in the project.

An inspector for Cretex Concrete Projects had marked several tiles as being damaged after being unloaded. However, the damage was minor and repairs were made before the tiles were used, Hopper said.

Hopper said he recommends the board withhold the $100,000 retainage from the contractor in the project, Schany Construction Inc. of Grattinger, until an inspection is done 11 months after the project is accepted to make sure all claims are addressed.